https://mostafa-ashour.github.io/posts/active_directory/intro_to_windows_command_line/Recent content in Intro_to_Windows_Command_Line on Ashour BlogHugoen-us<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY-NC 4.0</a>Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:29:11 +0300https://mostafa-ashour.github.io/posts/2026/04/powershell/Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:29:11 +0300https://mostafa-ashour.github.io/posts/2026/04/powershell/<h1 id="cmd-vs-powershell">CMD Vs. PowerShell</h1> <ul> <li>It&rsquo;s time to look at Windows&rsquo; modern successor to CMD, <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/overview?view=powershell-7.2">PowerShell</a>.</li> </ul> <h2 id="differences">Differences</h2> <ul> <li>PowerShell and CMD are included natively on any Windows host.</li> <li>Therefore, Why would I use one over the other?</li> <li>Observe the following table to know the differences/comparison between PowerShell &amp; CMD.</li> </ul> <table> <thead> <tr> <th><strong>Feature</strong></th> <th><strong>CMD</strong></th> <th><strong>PowerShell</strong></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Language</td> <td>Batch and basic CMD commands only.</td> <td>PowerShell can interpret Batch, CMD, PS cmdlets, and aliases.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Command utilization</td> <td>The output from one command cannot be passed into another directly as a structured object, due to the limitation of handling the text output.</td> <td>The output from one command can be passed into another directly as a structured object resulting in more sophisticated commands.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Command Output</td> <td>Text only.</td> <td>PowerShell outputs in object formatting.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Parallel Execution</td> <td>CMD must finish one command before running another.</td> <td>PowerShell can multi-thread commands to run in parallel.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>PowerShell is more than a command-line interface (CLI); it&rsquo;s also a versatile scripting language designed for extensibility and integration with various tools.</li> <li>Unlike CMD, the traditional Windows CLI, PowerShell is <a href="https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell">open-source project</a> and cross-platform, supporting both Windows and Linux systems.</li> <li>Built on the <code>.NET</code> framework, it leverages an object-based model for interaction and output, moving beyond simple text-based methods.</li> </ul> <h3 id="why-choose-powershell-over-cmdexe">Why Choose PowerShell Over cmd.exe?</h3> <p><code>Why does PowerShell matter for IT admins, Offensive &amp; Defensive Infosec pros</code>?</p>https://mostafa-ashour.github.io/posts/2026/04/cmd/Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:28:58 +0300https://mostafa-ashour.github.io/posts/2026/04/cmd/<h1 id="command-prompt-basics">Command Prompt Basics</h1> <ul> <li>To begin developing command-line skills, we&rsquo;ll start with <code>cmd.exe</code> (the Command Prompt) which includes: <ul> <li>What <code>cmd.exe</code> is.</li> <li>How to access it.</li> <li>How the shell functions.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2 id="cmdexe">CMD.exe</h2> <ul> <li> <p>The Command Prompt (<a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/cmd">cmd.exe</a> or CMD) is the default command-line interpreter for Windows OS, evolved from DOS&rsquo;s <code>COMMAND.COM</code>.</p> </li> <li> <p>Found in nearly all Windows OSs versions, it allows users to execute commands directly, performing tasks like password changes or network interface status checks. - This also reduces system resources, as graphical-based programs require more CPU and memory.</p>